LEEDS, AL - FEBRUARY 23: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been desaturated.) Danica Patrick driver of the #7 Go Daddy.com Andretti Auosport Honda Dallara poses for a portrait during the IRL Indy Car Series Media Day at Barber Motorsports Park on February 23, 2009 in Leeds, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Photo Credit: Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images
By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @Tobalical
That just happened. Sunday afternoon in Coors Light qualifying for the pole for the Daytona 500, Danica Patrick bested 44 other drivers to take the of the Great American Race. In doing so Patrick becomes the first female driver to ever capture a pole in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and she will also become the first female driver to ever start in the Sprint Unlimited, as she has secured a spot in 2014′s edition of the race with this pole.
Patrick had been fast all week long, and she was still fast when it counted most. Her lap — 196.434 mph — is the second-fastest qualifying speed in restrictor plate history at Daytona, and it was the fastest anyone had qualified at the famed speedway since Ken Schrader ran 196.9 mph back in 1989.
As long as Patrick can take care of her car for the rest of the next week in practice ans the Budweiser Duel race, she will lead the field to the green Sund...

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